A Chosen Protector
by CookieMonstersRUs
Summary: Thea is from our world. She has escaped from reality and into a new one of the benders. Blessed with new powers, she is brought here to help the avatar on his quest. Her own quest is a dark and dangerous one, but she is one of our most legendary creatures. She has her own internal battle, one she can't defeat alone. Will she break? Who's to say she'll live in the end? Zuko/OC (?)
1. The Abrupt End Of My Life

Chapter One: The Abrupt End of My Life

**THEA**

I walked slowly down the paths of New York City with tears in my eyes. I left. I escape the hell hole I once called home when I was young and innocent. That of course changed and reality-that bitch made her way through my heart. I'm just glad I left; I just wished I didn't know the freedom wouldn't last long. Nothing had ever last long. My mother, my father's temper, my friends, and why should I be surprised that my life falls into that category?

I'm not really.

"Do you have any money to spare miss?" a raspy voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I snapped my head over to the man in tattered clothes holding a cup out to me. I stopped in my tracks, turned my body to him and sat down next to him. I emptied my pockets and gave him forty dollars. "What? Why?" he asked, disbelief clearly evident in his voice.

I shrugged, taking out my I-pod and spare jacket and handing them to him, "I don't need it anymore."

"Why? You should cherish such luxuries," the man told me.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"I will tell you my name if you explain your generosity to such a strange stranger."

I smiled sadly, somehow I seemed to not care about the sadness; I just accepted my fate now after meeting this man. A man who is down on his luck, I understood that but his was reversible while mine was inventible. "My time is short, you seem to be kind, why not spend the rest of such time with a new friend?"

"You sound very wise for a child. How old are you?"

"Seventeen," I shrugged, "Honestly, I think wisdom comes with your time coming closer and closer as you get older, mine just appears faster than others."

"So why is your time so short child? Tell me your story," the man asked as I pulled out a bag of chips so we could eat them. I was running out of things fast.

"Tell me your name first, I wish to call you something," I replied.

"Call me Pathik." It was a strange name, I must admit.

"Nice to meet you Pathik, I'm Thea. Let me start from the beginning. My mother….." and so I told him. Every last detail and he listened intently, not showing any change in his face. He was told of all the pain and suffering I have faced up until my diagnosis. "And so I ran, packed up some clothes and escaped from home and him, and now I have met you and before that as I ran, I realized that it was pointless to bring such stupid objects," I pause and looked into Pathik's eyes, "I'm going to sound crazy, but I don't want to live through the pain, I don't want to feel any of it."

"Are you giving into darkness child?" he asked. I nodded, tears starting to spill from my eyes.

"I just didn't want any of this, none of it, do you have any advice Pathik? Surely you must have some form of advice for me. You've seen this world's cruelties. You're homeless out on the streets, tell me why has this world been cruel to you?"

"It wasn't cruel, I made my choices and my path has landed me here. Most of us choose our way, you are of rare few I must agree, you do not deserve such cruelty and yet you have shown kindness in return. Sometimes I imagine of a world full of magic and power unknown to you. Filled with spirits and healers of the best. And yet even that land has war raging, that world should deserve someone with your spirit." I snorted.

"My spirit? As in death and darkness?" I asked.

"I do not see darkness in you, I see the opposite. You are surrounded by it but you appear as light to me."

"Well that land surely does sound better than this one," I said.

"Maybe you will visit there. If you do what would you be?" he asked. I yawned loudly, starting to become drowsy. Since when was I tired?

"I'd want to be important, I wouldn't want to be hidden anymore. Something to become, yes something important." My eyes started to close and I began rest myself against the wall of the building.

A soft chuckled entered my ears, "Such a correct answer child, you indeed will be very important." And with that she felt a soft hand touch her arm.

**NO ONE'S POINT OF VIEW**

Roku stepped out of the shadows in his glowingly blue appearance. "Pathik, why have you summoned me?"

Pathik raised his head to face the past avatar. "I have found the boy's protector."

"Are you sure?" he asked in disbelief staring down at the girl that lay next to Pathik.

"Yes, when my fingers grazed her skin, the symbol appeared," the guru replied.

"Show me," he ordered. Roku leaned down to the brown haired tan girl. Pathik removed her arm from the shirt, which received them a flinch from the girl. Roku looked to the other man.

"The child has been through much, but see," he answered the unasked question as he presented her arm. Intricate designs etched across her skin. Colors and hidden symbols of the spirits, nations, and other significant symbols were drawn in harmony with one another, each moving slightly as if a moving picture from what these people call televisions. And at the very base of her arms lay a tattoo of her own, an eternity symbol with Ying and Yang imprinted inside the circles with the inscription "forever equal" in cursive below. But what caught his eyes the most were the faded scars of horizontal form healing behind all the ink that appeared on her arms.

"Pathik, was has happened to her?" Roku asked out of worry.

"I am not worthy of telling such a tale. The child herself has proven to be unique and special; I believe she is the one to help save our world and guide our heroes on their paths. When will she leave for her own journey?" he asked.

"You aren't telling me something Pathik, but I agree she will be important. I think she will come to our world on her own, I can see it now. Come with me Pathik, I believe you are wanted back in your temple; the boy's bison is searching for his master." The guru nodded and turned back to the girl who had started to cry in her sleep. He placed his fingers on her head.

"Sleep well tonight child, tomorrow you will begin anew," and with that the guru stood up and disappeared with long gone avatar into their own worlds.

**THE NEXT DAY-THEA**

I woke up the next morning alone. Pathik was gone but everything I had given to him and I own were still there. I quickly placed everything in my bag before I got up. It was early in the morning but traffic was busy.

I was walking down the streets of the city with no real destination just thinking about my life and the man and what we had talked about. I landed in a buzzing neighborhood where children ran and laughed wild. I smiled, when was the last time I had truly smiled, much less laughed?

These thoughts disappeared as one child started to edge closer to the street. I began to ran, the child was just playing around not paying attention. The loud horn of the truck startled me as I pushed the child to safety.

I didn't see anything except for darkness as the automobile came into impact with my body.

**Okay hi! I'm the Cookie Monster! Some reviews would be widely appreciated, if that doesn't work out than I'll still be posting more! So hope you guys are kind enough to tell me what you think of it so far!**

** ~cookies 'w'**


	2. A Spiritual Awakening by Roku

Chapter Two: A Spiritual Awakening by Roku

I am of course dead. Getting run over by a truck can do that to you, especially when that dumbass of a driver doesn't slow down. But no matters I died, I'm dead, but the thing that startles me the most is that fact that I am not dead. Or is this the afterlife I've so often heard about? The religious maniacs back at school talked about heaven and then they also dammed me to hell, but I guess that's what happens when you question things. I am of course a questioner-scratch that, _was_ a questioner. One I'm dead, and two I gave up on everything literally two days ago when I was diagnosed and skipped out on reality.

But how do I know I'm not fully dead? Well right now, I'm on this plain that has green fog covering everything for miles. And there's also a man standing in front of me with thousands of other people standing behind him in old looking clothing. He was dressed in red robes and had a long white beard. "Well….this is awkward. Sorry who are you?" I asked.

"My name is Roku, but the better question is who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Thea."

"That is the title you hold but who are you, yourself?" he repeated. I blinked.

"Ummm, can you explain to me what you are trying to get me to answer?" I asked, clearly confused. One of the people scoffed at me.

"Who are you now and who do you want to become? What is your place in your world and mine?"

"Well before I was alive and messed up, now I'm dead and still messed up. In my world I'm just a girl with no point and I'm still quite confused on the 'your' world." The people began to disappear except for three. A woman with an arrow on her head, a green clothed warrior woman with face paint, and Roku.

The two women began to walk around me with piercing, judging eyes while Roku stood still. "Your destiny is changing child, who do you wish to become in this new world?" the one with the arrow on her head asked.

"I still don't understand-"

The green one clapped her hands in front of me, making me jump. "You are no longer a part of that previous world, you are a part of ours now. So who will you be? Do you wish for gifts to be bestowed upon you? Who. Do. You. Want. To. Be?" she snapped.

"Kyoshi," the other woman warned.

"Yengchen," Kyoshi replied annoyed.

"What they mean to say is that you are changing your own fate so you can help our world," Roku interrupted.

"What am I helping with?" I asked.

"The heroes of our world need someone to push them in the right direction, we believe that person is you."

"Is that all? Just push some people in the right direction?" I asked, thinking this sounded easy.

"You are also to protect our successor at all costs," he replied. I raised an eyebrow.

"And who will I be assisting? And what would happen if I couldn't protect him?"

"Aang is the present avatar, he protects our world but he can fall astray. And if he dies…..you are connected with him, you can feel his pain, his thoughts, his everything. That is a gift you are forced to live with, what other gifts do you wish to receive?" Roku explained.

"Who am I to decide what is needed for me to serve your purpose? I will leave it to you to decide what 'gifts' you bestow upon me. And one more question," all three of them nodded, "Will he feel my emotions like his? See my memories? Feel my pain?"

"Why do you ask?"

"No one deserves to feel the same as me."

"Then why not share it to lessen it?" Yengchen asked. I shook my head.

"This Aang, I don't want anyone to know. I'd prefer to make this new world a new beginning, is there a way to keep him out? This is all I truly ask from you," I explained. Kyoshi nodded her head at me. She held her hand out and in it was a necklace.

"Whatever you wish for Aang not to know can be concealed in this necklace, unless it is needed to be known, only you are to see the pain behind your eyes. I must ask though, what could have happened?"

"Darkness." I answered as I took the necklace and place the small orb at the bottom beneath my shirt. I looked up at the worried faced people. "So I'm assuming I need to go now to help this Aang kid, so where will I end up? With him I hope?"

Roku's face fell. "We don't know specifically how your own journey pans out, but we do know you don't start off with Aang," he solemnly explained.

"So you have no clue where I'm going to end up. I'm going in blindly?" Roku nodded.

"I still can't understand it," Kyoshi spoke up, I turned to face her.

"What?"

"Why are you so believing of us? We could be lying to you, you wouldn't know if we are good or bad. So why are you so quick to believe us?"

"We'll I don't have anyone else to talk to now do I? Besides, I think you all would be able tu explain this," I rolled up my sleeves.

"How did you-" Roku started, but I waved him off.

"All three of you have been looking down at my arm one point or another, plus it hurts like a bitch. Did Pathik tattoo me while I slept because I feel like its burning and cooling at the same time and not even cut-braking my arm hurt this bad," I covered up what I was about to say. Roku noticed but didn't comment.

"I must say I wouldn't know what it would feel like but it doesn't sound so good. So you trust as because we've been staring down at your arm?" Yengchen asked.

"Yeah, you looked uncertain as if you weren't sure it was me or not and when I rolled up my sleeves you looked pretty relieve that I was me."

"So it was all a hunch?" Kyoshi asked in disbelief.

"Mmmhmm," I nodded with a smile, "But if it makes you feel better I didn't trust you, I actually don't trust anyone."

"And why's that?"

"Another time Roku, I have an Aang to help," I replied, cutting of the relapse of memories.

They nodded and soon a blinding white light began to enter my mind before everything went black.

And then I woke up covered in sand. My bag was nearby and I was completely thirsty. "Ughh," I groaned, sitting upwards in the heat and in the sunlight. I rubbed my eyes open before I stood up and peered around. I could see for a few miles out, but it hurt just to look. I started to walk east, that's where my spidey senses were telling me to go but a few steps in I fell exhausted head first into the sand. I groaned again and tried to push myself to my feet but my body was getting ridiculously weak and fast. "I help…help…help," I called out in pain. My arm felt like it was on fire and was crying out in pain but no tears fell past my eyes. I could hear voices nearby but I was too weak to even attempt to listen, much less lift my head.

Then two scorching hot hands touched my arm, shaking me, making scream in agony. The hands let go of me immediately and I could barely make out the sound of someone calling for "Uncle!"

The hands were placed on my arms again and I cried out louder, my voice cracking and desperate. Another set took the place on my arms, and they were less burning to my relief. I sighed but still felt pain all over my body like I had been ran over by a truck-oh wait that did happen. Is that why I hurt so much? Oh god, I hate dying. The hands that held me turned my body towards them and with half closed eyes, I peered up at the strangers. An older man with a beard and a boy with a scar on his face, golden eyes, and short black hair staring at me with their kind and grim eyes. My eyes rolled into the back of my head before I could do anything else.

**Okay! So someone did something, so I'll take what I can get. Keep eating cookies!**

**~The Monster**


	3. Oh, The First Gift of Sight!

Chapter Three: Oh, The First Gift of Sight!

I don't really like the idea of confused, much less in the care of two strangers. But I just_ had_ to be in both situations at the moment. I was in and out of conscious and each time I was still with the two strangers, but what confused me was what happened while I slept. Visions kept appearing in my mind about a bald boy with arrows on his body like Yengchen's and it was all about his life. I saw him from when he was born and then to when he was in an iceberg and for the past few years of his life. He was maybe 16-17 years old now and I had this feeling I knew him-or at least of him.

What really helped in that process was the fact that his memories had all these characters calling out his name, which coincidentally was Aang. I'm taking that as a hint. And I also was somewhat blessed with everything he knew, thought, and felt. So I have already developed feelings for characters in his memories. Like this one guy with a weird ponytail and red suit of armor-yeah I hate him. He's such a dick, he keeps following them and trying to capture Aang, and oh my god that kid is annoying. And his sister-she's a bitch. But there were also good characters like the one with dark brown hair and tanned skin that wears blue all the time, oh I like her-well Aang likes her. And I mean really, _really_ likes her.

But what really confused me about this is that the fact that I am seeing all of this things, like I didn't want to know. But I guess the spirits (I've learned about them now) really want me to know all this stuff. Whatever, but then weirder things happened. I began to see things past the now, like time skips. Only glimpses into the future, I think, and it's really starting to scare me. I know they haven't seen it yet but I get this glimpses of the future. I'm never in them, which is fine with me, but it worries me; these future glances. One time I saw Pathik and another time I saw flashes of blue lightning and then my whole body shudders in pain. More times, I see more glimpses, not being able to make sense of each scene before me.

I think I can see the future, and it scares me. What if I saw someone dying? I can't live with the idea of knowing when someone would die.

And finally, I open my eyes. For the first time, I'm fully awake and not tired, my eyes won't close again because they aren't tired but I wish they could. Because holding me is that guy who Aang deeply hates, Zuko I think. He's looking ahead and he's not too happy with the idea of holding me. I stare up at him in horror, it's the guy. I'm completely freaked and scared. The guy glances down at me for a second before looking up again and then quickly down at me. "You're up," he says to me. I nod my head slightly, still scared out of my mind.

"Ummmmm," I say, clearly uncomfortable with the arrangement. Zuko stops our form of transportation which I realize is a strange creature I have never seen. He gets off the animal with me still in his arms before placing me onto the ground, not softly, but not roughly either. The other guy-his uncle, finally notices us and smiles.

"Hello! I'm Iroh!" he greets joyfully, I gave him a small smile, "And this is my nephew Zuko."

I nod at them but in my mind large bold letters light up in my brain that said 'STOP!'

"May," I lied. I didn't trust them-couldn't trust them. They were out to get Aang, the kid who is now magically connected to me so that if he dies, I die too. I put on a fake smile and held out my hand wearily. Iroh shook it gratefully. And then I looked around. "Where are we?" Dunes upon dunes of sand covered the plane and the blazing hot sun shown down on us. "Actually, how long was I out?"

"Lot's off questions you have young lady don't you?" Iroh asked.

"Yes, I must find my way back, or to where we had been going," I answered.

"'We'?" Zuko asked.

"Yes, my…um….boyfriend," I replied.

"Well you've been out for about a week and we're just outside of the Misty Palms Oasis," Iroh explained.

I nodded, "Why are you going there?"

"We're there to meet an old friend," he replied.

"Uncle," Zuko hissed.

"What?"

"We don't know her! You can't just going telling her all of our plans!" the prince replied in a low and annoyed voice.

"Zuko, if she's going to be traveling with us, she should at least know where we're heading," the older man explained.

"Oh no, you-we really shouldn't be traveling together, I just need to find my….boyfriend and then I'll be on my way, I just need to get out of this desert," I replied.

"I insist, you may be heading the same way as us, we could at least help you out of this dusty bowl," Iroh replied. Zuko seemed to get even more annoyed with how kind his uncle was being towards a stranger.

I faltered at how persistent the uncle was being. "But, I have no way of repaying you."

"Bah, just your company with us will do. I need a new soul to brighten things up over here, Zuko can be very temperamental." Zuko was practically red.

"WILL YOU SHUT UP YOU OLD MAN? SHE DOESN'T WANT TO COME WITH US! JUST LET HER BE AND LET'SGO!" he roared. I gulped, _I do not want to be on the end of the fire when he's angry_. I stepped in between them, facing Zuko. I placed a hand on his arm.

"It's okay, I'm actually starting to warm to the idea of travelling with you guys. I would be honored if you would help me get back to a civilization," I told him in a calming voice. After a few moments, Zuko calmed down and backed away. I turned to Iroh, "Until we reach the next actual city?"

Iroh nodded and I returned it. Then we returned back to walking, which really began to hurt after I realized that I was still sore from being crashed into by a car. And I was beginning to sweat. I looked down at my clothing. I was still in my jeans, converse, tank, t-shirt, and jacket. My backpack was on the strange animal and I began to strip. I took off my jacket and t-shirt, revealing my tank top. I grabbed my bag and threw the clothes inside, retrieving a ponytail and some shorts. I pulled my hair up and began to unclasp the belt. "Shouldn't you maybe find somewhere private to change?" Zuko asked, nervous-I think-in his voice.

"Just don't look, I'll be done in a second," I commanded. Iroh continued walking, whistling a tune and Zuko uncomfortably made sure his eyes were anywhere except at me. I stifled a laugh at his uncommfortableness (is that a word?) with the situation. I kicked off my jeans and pulled my shorts over my shoes and underwear. "Done," I said as I started to walk again. I felt better in less clothing. I placed the jeans back in the bag and continued to walk beside them.

"So where are you from?" Iroh asked. I shrugged, "A traveler?" I nodded.

"Yeah, my family and I did loads of traveling when we were younger and then my…..boyfriend and I wanted to venture out, see the world," I explained.

"And your boyfriend's name?"

"Um….Ko," I made up.

"Ko," Iroh tested.

"And why did your boyfriend leave you out in the desert?" Zuko asked.

"A sandstorm hit us, we got separated, but I know he's okay," I answered.

"And how's that?" he challenged.

"I just know."

"That tattoo of yours must have hurt getting it on," Iroh commented and both Zuko and I looked at my arm. Now that I noticed it, I felt the motha-fu #ing pain again.

"Still does a bit. It's new," I replied.

"Such intricate designs, how did you come up with them?" the uncle continued to question.

"I just thought of harmony, came up with this," I lied.

"So you're an artist?" Zuko asked. I shook my head, another lie.

"No, my brother…..Shen came up with it when we were younger."

Zuko nodded and we fell into silence, I continued to stare ahead searching-no begging in my mind to find the oasis. I really need to leave these guys as soon as possible. I mean yeah, they're nice now, but what if they want something from me, oh I just shuddered at the memories. What if they found out why I'm really here?

Eventually I started to see specks of what looked like a town. I mentally jumped up in joy at being a step closer to escaping them. Okay, Iroh didn't seem_ so_ bad, but I knew that Zuko could not be trusted. "So May, are you a bender?" Iroh asked. I just shrugged.

"Depends how you define bender," I answered, remembering the fact that I could see the future.

"A master of an element, why do you possess a different kind?"

"I'm not a bender, I don't possess your kind of skills."

"But do you have another set?" he pressed. I didn't see this going in a good way so I just shook my head no quickly.

Silence soon returned after that.

**Cool, hey! Sorry, its been a few days. My life is in a mess right now with all the shoolwork i have to do...Enjoy and REVIEW! Also shout out to all of you that are following/favoriting, thankyou so much! No one actually reads my other stuff that much... :/**


	4. The Secret Society

Chapter Four: The Secret Society

We were getting closer and closer to the oasis and I kept getting more and more nervous. Maybe stripping of most of my clothing wasn't a good idea. My fear of the male species started to settle into my bones. Of course it hadn't occurred earlier which was weird, but the fear was here now and it didn't settle with me at all. After all my _incidents_ with my 'father', I would always go into an automatic sequence of being quiet and not to fight with any man that came near. But in this world, I felt like I had much less of a chance of having a relapse in not so wonderful memories.

I stopped for a moment, trying to erase the reoccurring nightmares, but they just started to pile in. Iroh and Zuko hadn't noticed me yet, so I let my body go through it's automation as I cried on the inside to myself. I learned to never cry in front of others and I sure as hell wasn't going to do such a thing in front of pompous, hot headed prince Zuko and his uncle. I wiped my eyes furiously as we entered the territory of the oasis and started to head towards a building. "Nobody here is going to help us. These people just look like filthy wanderers," Zuko muttered.

"So do we," Iroh replied as he looked around. "Ah, this is interesting. I think we found our friend." Iroh was looking at a man near the back at a game board of some sorts. Things began to get foggy in my mind as we got closer.

"You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?" he hissed. My vision began to darken and the corners of my sight were already black.

"I don't think this is a gamble," he replied before turning to the man, "May I have this game?"

"The guest has the first move," the man replied, gesturing him to sit down. We sat down next to Iroh. He placed a tile with a white flower in the center of the board. "I see you favor the white lotus gambit. Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

"Those who do can always find a friend," Iroh replied. Things started to get darker around me. I could barely see Zuko anymore.

They took turns again and again on the board until a larger version of the white lotus tyle was created. "Welcome, brother. The White Lotus opens wide to those who know their secrets."

The darkness only left me to look at Iroh. Glimpses of the future flashed against my vision. Iroh in a prison of some sorts and then a longer scene of Iroh in blue and whites with other older men around. He appeared proud for unknown reasons. More flashes of Iroh from earlier times danced across my eyes. A younger Zuko in his many training, another child that had relations with Iroh, teas, and a dragons flashed. I felt myself swaying. The cloudiness of Iroh's life started to clear a bit and I could see the others still talking.

"What are you two old men yapping about?" I heard Zuko shout in annoyance.

"I have always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game," Iroh cryptically explained. Then a man came barging up at the table with anger flashing on his face. My vision immediately darkened again before I could hear him speak.

There was a girl, she was maybe sixteen. She was dressed in greens and was pounding furiously against the metal cage that surrounded her body. She was banging against it and swearing at the two men outside. The first one was the guy from earlier-the other, I don't know.

And then my vision cleared as the Pai Sho guy said, "You think you're going to capture them and collect all that gold?"

"Gold?" members in the room quieted down and murmured. Everyone began to take out their knifes an I felt my stomach twist. Memories. Another guy murmured something about how they shouldn't have handled it like this and then the whole room went into chaos. Everyone was fighting and then the Pai Sho guy grabbed us and sneaked us out of the bar and into a flower shop.

Once inside the man turned to Iroh, "It is an honor to welcome such a high-ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus. Being a Grand Master, you must know so many secrets."

"Now that you played Pai Sho, are you going to do some flower arranging, or is someone in this club going to offer some real help?" Zuko asked annoyed. I wanted to glare at him, but I was too distracted in my own world of confusion.

"You must forgive my nephew. He is not an initate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts," Iroh apologized. The man nods and turns to the door before knocking the door twice and a slot opens up to them.

"Who knocks at the guarded gate?"

"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries," he replied. The door opens and Iroh smiles. Zoku tried to go in after him, the door closes in front of him. Iroh opens up the slot, "Sorry members only. How about you keep May company?" He suggested before closing the slot. Zuko sighs in defeat before turning back towards me. I was already sitting down against a wall thinking. He sat across from me and studied my movements. I'm afraid to look at him. What if what happened to all the others occurred if I looked at him? Do I want to know how Zuko turns out?

Unwillingly, I pull myself to glance at the prince and I'm right. The affect works immediately and visions of his future flash across my eyelids. A man sprinting around in a black costume with a blue mask and swords is running through the night. Another time Zuko is laying on a mat sweating his body out. And then he's in a room lit up by glowing green rocks. My mind burns at all the images of his future. But the most confusing one of all is when I see him fighting with me, electricity is in the background along with moving rocks, fire, and water. The image fades but more takes its place as fight between Zuko and somehow I are visioned and then I see him kissing a girl with long black hair wearing dark red robes. Their kisses are getting more intense and more images of him and this girl together; they're happy.

Tears slide down my face as I see a bolt of fire slash against his face and he turns cold as his banishment crosses my eyes. I feel a warm hand touch my arm and Zuko's face peeling through the images, but it makes me cry harder as the cold and bitterness that he has shown Aang scorches into my brain. I claw at my face, trying to remove my eyes, but my hands are captured by the warm hands. And then I hear it. The raspy voice of the pain inducing prince slices his way through the screaming that rings through my ears, "I don't know what's happening, but you need to calm down May. Can you hear me May?" he asked.

"Thea," I mutter under my breath as the images begin to calm down into a slower pace rather than sprinting across my mind, trying to put as many images as fast as possible into my brain.

"Thea?" Zuko asked, confused.

"M-my name," I reply, my eyesight starting to reverse its fading again.

"Okay Thea, can you tell me what's happening?" he asked his voice smooth but worry clearly evident across the face that I can see again. The images, the feelings, the sounds had left my body and I didn't feel anything anymore. I was numb, a feeling I was used to. I looked up into the ember eyes.

"Nothing, nothing's happening," I lied, shooting up from my spot and beginning to pace around the small room. Zuko slowly sits down in my spot and watches me. I don't care; I try to recollect the pieces and fragments that were thrown across my face. Another teardrop falls down, but I don't feel them anymore.

**IROH**

"What can we do for you, our brother?" the man in front of me asks kindly.

"My company and I need to find a safe place to stay in, I hope permanently. My nephew has a troubling past and I wish to keep him in one place long enough to come to terms with himself," Iroh explained.

"And the girl?"

Iroh smiled, "Ah, the girl. She bears the tattoo."

The man across him spits out his tea, "_The_ tattoo? As in the tattoo that, that….the tattoo that…."

"Yes that tattoo, I believe she was sent to me and my nephew to help guide him on his path and to help the avatar," Iroh explained. The man in front of him nodded.

"We must find them somewhere safe. I was thinking Ba Sing Se? Somewhere safe and you could easily pass as refugees?" the man suggested. Iroh nodded his head in  
agreement.

"And the girl?"

"I would suggest you try to keep an eye on such a legend. Maybe find a way to convince her to stick around? Our sources have told us that the avatar is making his way to the city as well, that way if the girl is needed she'll be nearby," the player told him. Iroh shook his head.

"But how will I convince her to stay, if she truly is the chosen one, she will have already known my secrets, much less my nephews dark ones."

"Then show her the light, become her friend will not only be an asset, you will have expanded your petals further than the others. But Grand Master, don't lose such a valuable person. Her destiny has been prophesized as one of the most important ones. I would not be surprised if she would be really able to change destiny. I'd be even less surprised if you were the one who taught her the secrets of our lives, just keep the chosen one safe Grand Master Iroh, like I have stated, she is very important."

"I agree, but she already does not trust us, I'm worried about the child already. I found her was troubling scars and her lies may fool many, I see through them. And when we were playing, her eyes clouded over and just stood there staring at me. It may have just been a moment, but she was gone in that instant and into my past, future, and present. I fear what could happen to her if she looks into the wrong person's eyes."

"Remember Iroh, it states in the prophecy that she only see's the lives of the ones attributing to her role. Not only into her life but in Aang's, she will not suffer badly," the man in front of him reassured.

But Iroh knew from the stifled sobs that penetrate through the walls, that he was quite wrong and that she has already felt the pain he feared her feeling.

**THEA**

After hours of pacing, I had ended up passing out and landing on something soft. When I woke up, I realized it was Zuko's body. When I tried to escape though, his arms that were draped across my body tightened and I began to squirm next to him-okay well I was more like on top of him. My moving though really didn't help the intimate situation as it got even more intimate with the feel of something hard poking me. I tried not to freak out. Its normal back home for teenaged guys to have this kind of reaction, but it wasn't so much the idea of Zuko having a hard one pressed up against my body that freaked me out, or the noises that came from his mouth as I tried to struggle again.

No, it was the memories that began to fill my mind as I went into my own insight to my life. And I was trapped in the darkness trying to scream and cry and flail my way out. And surely enough Zuko caught onto the fact that I wasn't grinding against him-ew-no, I was in fact trying to escape him. He let go of me immediately and I was zapped out of my trance of doom. Zuko's hands rested on my forearms and looked down at them as they touched my bare skin. The tattoo screamed at his touch and it made me want to throw up. He stared at me with a new found form of worry but I was still freaked out that his hands were still on my skin. He saw my reaction and immediately let go of me. I breathed relief as he stood up and away from me. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"Fine," I panted. I hadn't even realized I had a real panic attack physically. I stood up and rubbed my eyes more awake.

"Do you want to tal-"

"No!" I said sternly. He stared at me with a clenched jaw; steam could be coming out of his ears.

"I was just trying to be nice! You don't have to look at me like I'm going to kill you with every move I make!" he said back more angrily. My defenses faltered, he actually looked a bit hurt by reaction to him touching me. My face went to the ground.

"It's not you who I think will attack with every move," I said quietly. He seemed to falter too.

"You're afraid of Iroh? He's just a crazy old man who-"

"It's not Iroh, he's not a part of your life, he's apart of mine."

"If it's that boyfriend of yours you should definitely leave him," Zuko told me. I gave out a short laugh.

"It's not the boyfriend, don't worry about it." Before he could reply, Iroh came into the room with a smile gracing his lips.

"Good news! We're going to Ba Sing Se!" he exclaimed. Zuko frowned and I just stood there.

"Uncle, you do realize they'll kill us if they realize we're fire benders right? Plus, why would we _want_ to go to Ba Sing Se?"

"Don't sass him," I hissed which earned me a raised eyebrow from booth of them.

"Zuko, be happy. We can start fresh in one of the best cities! Take this as a sign that our luck is changing and with May-"

"Thea," Zuko interrupted. I stared at him with mouth opened and Iroh saw.

"And with Thea here, what could go wrong? Plus it's the capital of tea!" Iroh exclaimed. Zuko looked over at his uncle and then at me, to which I shrugged.

"Fine," Zuko said defeated. Iroh gave me a high-five, which I reluctantly accepted. A boy came into the shop and gave three small packages to Iroh.

"Here are your three passports, just a heads up there are two guys out there who've been watching the shop all night. Iroh nodded to the boy and then said his farewells to his friend from the game. The man looked at me and smiled, I smiled back and before I knew it, we were being smuggled out of the oasis and to the faery that awaited us. I still felt uneasy. I just didn't like the feeling at all.


	5. A Short Passage on the Way to Ba Sing Se

Chapter Five: A Short Passage on the Way to Ba Sing Se

We had been traveling for the past four days and so far, I've learned that Iroh can be trusted. After being sucked into his mind again, I learned that he is a friend. I didn't know how or why, but I saw in many visions of us laughing and talking happily with one and another. I couldn't find one bad memory at that moment, and I was thankful for that.

I haven't looked at my other companion in the eye. I'm just too scared at the chance of seeing more and more and_ more_ of the….pain. That first look just made my emotions cry in horror and at the destructiveness that came with him. Zuko really was a fire, just one too close of a step and anyone could be burned. So distance is the best thing I have found as an antidote. He seems to think that I'm avoiding him, which I am, and he's getting annoyed with it. I already told him that it wasn't him who I was afraid of, which he is-on some level, so why is he thinking I'm scared of him?

Stupid prince, stupid, stupid annoying prince.

But Iroh and I have somewhat bonded. He's made me some of his tea and it is AMAZING! I don't think I have ever tasted anything so amazing. Even though he keeps asking me all these questions about my 'boyfriend' and just me, I still enjoy his company. I haven't had any sort of friend since I was…..twelve. Wow, five years of friend solitude. That's ruff.

And of course when I sleep I have dreams of Aang. Apparently his group is in the dessert I was just in. Yeah he's lost and not just physically. I wake up covered in sweat in the middle of the night because he's not just putting a toll on his body, mine is affected as well. He's in pain and I feel like his heart is missing a whole part of him and its hurting me. Tearing at my own seams didn't hurt as much as him tearing at his seams-and that's saying something compared to my pain.

Any who, we had finally made it to the docks for our boat ride and I'm really excited because I'm just one step closer to leaving them. I'll miss Iroh a bit, but I really, _really_ need to leave them and find Aang. But I will miss Iroh anyhow. Iroh was just telling me that I should be going to sleep soon and that he would wake me up when it was time to go. I'm worried about sleeping when they could see my reaction, but I'm also really tired.

Just for a second, I'll just close them for a second. Just…..a…second…

_No._

No, no, no, no, no, no. I need to calm down. "Stop hyperventilating god dammit!" I shout at myself. But I can't stop the panic attack from forcing its way through my barriers.

_He's_ coming for me.

Aang is lying dead in front of me too.

Darkness surrounds me, but I'm scared of what's in the dark.

_She's_ also on the ground. Broken and bruised and bleeding out.

I can't help her. I can't help her. I can't help her. I can't help her.

_Breathe_, a voice tells me.

_But I can't breathe!_

_ Go to a happy place. _I break down into sobs.

_ I have no happy place! Can't you see? I have none! _I call out desperately. The voice is silent and my tears begin to burn. _He_ makes his way towards me. A knife pulled out but I know, _I know _it is just the starter. The main dish is much worse. _She_ and Aang disappear leaving me all alone to _his_ wrath.

"You killed her!" _he_ hollers at me.


	6. Jet Is Hot, I'm Just Saying

Chapter Six: Jet Is Hot, I'm Just Saying

I woke up sweating. The dream got worse from there and when I woke up, Zuko and Iroh were watching me carefully. Iroh's hand was on my shoulder, trying to calm me down. I lifted myself from the floor and leaned up against the wall, waiting for our boat to be called for boarding. Zuko gave up watching me but Iroh continued to stare. I looked over at him and the lights dimmed.

A boy with a scarred face slept on a bed and Iroh was watching over him. The boy was rolling, squirming in his sleep from a bad dream. Iroh placed a hand on his back and sang a mellow lullaby and it soon eased the boy's ears. Deep breathing from sleep could be heard from the boy and Iroh smiled gratefully.

I looked up at the returning Iroh and smiled. Confusion was evident, but quickly disappeared and returned the smile. I wasn't as worried anymore with Iroh's hand warmly on my bare shoulder. I looked down at myself at the realization that I was still in very light clothing. I turned to my bag and pulled out a jacket and zipped it up to cover my tattoo. I looked over at Iroh again, "What will you be doing once you get to the city?"

"I'd first like to find some nice tea to drink, maybe you could join us for a cup?" he offered.

I shrugged, "I could spare a few hours for you Iroh. But afterwards I really should be on my way." He nodded.

"You never know, the tea may be just so amazing that you'll want to stay," he told me. I smiled at him.

"Maybe Iroh, maybe," I replied. An image of me serving tea in a teashop flashing across my mind as my vision darkened. I guess he might be right. An announcer called out a boat number and we began to move towards it. Once we got on, they led me to my room and went out to search for their own quarters. After a few minutes of "vigorous" unpacking, I got bored and decided to explore the ship. Iroh had told me it was a refugee boat, but the number on the ship was just ridiculous. There were so many that some even had to set up some tents for a room. This journey was supposed to last two days, but it was still stupid in my opinion to have so many clustered with one another. Is there enough food for everyone? I was so wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't even realize I ran into a brick wall.

I fell to the floor and looked up at the wall-okay it was actually a chest. A really hard and built chest that was attached to a _very _attractive boy. He had light brown shaggy hair and had a piece of straw in his mouth. He was smirking at me, "Are you okay?" I nodded and got up.

My mind and mouth were on entirely separate pages when I said, "Wow you have such a hard chest." I mentally slapped myself and had to refrain my body from actually slamming into a wall in annoyance. Instead I shut my eyes as heat rose to my cheeks.

"So I've been told, the name's Jet," he introduced. I opened my eyes to see that his hand was out. I took it in my own and smiled awkwardly.

"Thea," I replied as I glanced up into his eyes. Everything immediately became dark. I saw the group with Aang and Jet with a lot of his friends. And then I saw Katara gushing at him and them leaning into each other for a kiss. My visions went back in time to see fire and screams of a man and woman-his parents. But the last vision gave me chills.

I saw him die. I saw what I feared I would see.

Jet was on the ground in pain with a block of rock as tall as him by his feet-he was just hit by it. He should've died instantly but he hadn't yet. I was there too with Katara, Toph, Aang, Sokka, and two of Jet's friends. I could feel the streams of tears come down my own cheeks in the present as he spoke a few words to me, "You saw this happening didn't you? When we first met? Didn't you?"

The lights came back on and Jet was looking at me worriedly. "Are you okay?" I nodded my head and wipe the tears from my eyes.

"Yeah, just-just a vision. It's nothing really," I replied.

"Vision? What are you a fortune teller?" he joked.

"Something like that," I smiled.

"What? Really? That's so cool! Can you see my future, did something bad happen?" he asked.

"No, I didn't see your future. It was someone else's," I lied. He nodded and we began to wander around the boat together. "So why are you going to Ba Sing Se?"

He let out a sigh, "I've made some bad choices in my life-" I nodded, remembering another vision of him trying to drown a town, "-but I hope to start fresh in the city, have a new life ya know?"

I nodded.

"And you?"

"Well I'm traveling with these two guys who found me out in a desert lost. They're taking me to the city so I can find my original group. My friends and I were traveling the world. These two men are helping me out until I find them and I think the older of the two offered me to stay with them."

He frowned, "How old are these men?"

I stopped in my tracks and looked him in the eyes. The memories of what he was implying came back in waves, starting with the painful ones, "They will not be attempting _that_, I'll cut it _off _before they can come near me Jet," he backed away from me for a moment, "Besides, the older one is in his sixties and the younger one is my age but doesn't exactly show any emotion. And I doubt he has any forms of attraction towards me."

"Why? Who wouldn't be attracted to you?" I froze again. I looked away from him at for the risk of him seeing my blush was too god damn high. Why the hell was I blushing?

"He has a girlfriend," I said matter-of-factly.

"So? He can still look." I became redder.

"It wouldn't matter," I laughed, "I don't have any sort of attraction towards him."

"And me?" he leaned in. I laughed again.

"Suave aren't we? I just met you Jet, it was nice meeting you too, and I really should be getting back to them," I sadly stated before turning around and walking away from him before anything happened.

"Will I see you again?" he asked.

"I'm not sure!" I replied as I turned a corner.

"But you can see the future!" he called after me. I turned around and allowed my head to be seen by him.

"Good point. I'll let you know when I see you!" I said before turning around and skipping down the boat with a grin planted on my face. I could hear him sigh in annoyance as I left.

But before I could get too far down the boat, I slammed into another brick wall-okay it was Zuko. "Dammit!" I hissed at myself. He helped me up as I rubbed my nose. "I really need to stop running into all these men!" He looked at me confusedly before looking around.

"What men? Never mind, Unlce wanted me to tell you that we changed our names to Lee and Mushy. And yours to Ming."

"Uh, that won't work," I told him.

"Why?"

"I kind of met this guy and he already knows my real name," I explained. Zuko slapped his hand on his head in annoyance.

"You've got to be kidding me!" he groaned.

"I kid you not," I replied on my toes. He groaned further with his other hand curling into a fist and raising a bit in annoyance. But just that simple reaction had me jump away from him in fear.

Oh great, more memories.

The lights dimmed and I could see my own past reflect in my eyes. So I guess the seeing everything didn't just affect others but me too. Oh goodie. I could see _him_ curling his hand into a fist and pushing me up against a wall in anger. The knuckles came into contact with multiple parts of my face until I was on the ground with blood spilling down my face instead of the tears I remembered. That memory had now faded into the knife memory where _he_ gave me a scar on my forehead and it bled down my face painting it crimson red._ He_ had left me on the floor that night to cry my eyes out that somewhat washed all the blood away.

I was hyperventilating.

_'I need to breathe. In…..and out…in…..and out.' _The memory was gone and the lights had returned to reveal a Zuko still in his annoyed position. He hadn't even noticed my escape from reality and was just ranting at me. "I can't believe this! How could you be so stupid? You could've blown our cover! Do you even have a brain in there? I knew we shouldn't have left you alone. An-"

"Shut up!" I shouted at him, before yanking his head from is hand to look at me, "Calm down Lee!" I started show him I understood the change in names. "I understand okay! Next time I'll think of a new name! Will you calm down already? It's just a name, it's not like I told the whole boat you're Prince Zuko of the fire nation."

He stood there in shock at me with his mouth somewhat agape. I removed my hands from his face before I smacked myself when I realized I had just slipped out information I wasn't supposed to know. He pushed me up against a wall and glared at me angrily. "Who are you?! How do you know this? Were you sent by someone to follow me? Tell me the truth!" he shouted. I stared at him with calm eyes and a blank expression. I took a deep breath, not intimidated by him. _'He could have done a lot worse,_' I thought to myself. "Answer me!"

"Okay! You want to know the truth? I can see the future, and the past, and sometimes the present but not really. I can only see the things to those connected to my own life. You finding me in the desert was completely out of chance. And I learned who you and Iroh were from you just being a part of my journey to the city. I'm sorry I lied about a bunch of things in my life, but I didn't trust you," anger flashed across his face, "not just you, I don't exactly trust anyone. I didn't trust Iroh until I saw his own future, but believe me, I am not a hired tracker."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't, you have to take a chance."

"Prove to me what you say is true, where's Uncle now?" he asked.

"I'm not a fucking mind reader Zuko, I don't know where he is right now."

"Then prove it!" he hollered in annoyance. I looked into his eyes, to look for a memory. The lights dimmed and the images flashed across my mind before the lights came back.

"Fine! You're the blue spirit! You know the one that took the avatar from that general guy? You helped him even though you're hell bent on capturing the dude yourself. You want to know something else? You're a thief and not an abuser of animals-wait shit, that's your future. Scratch that, you are a thief! You stole all this stuff for you and Iroh before you found me when you guys were down and stuff. You also aren't really that cruel because you helped a town and this little boy but they turned their backs on you when you revealed who and what you are to them, which by the way is pretty hypocritical. Let's move onto more personal things that a tracker wouldn't know. You have a girlfriend name Mai. You both are awkwardly together sort of but she's emotionally distant like you so you guys kind of made it work before your banishment. And I know distinctively that you thought your first kiss was awful with some girl name Ling-"

"How the hell did you-" I pushed him away from me so I could breathe again.

"Oh I'm not finished hot head! I also know that Azula your bitchy sister pushed you into that duck pond at your home when you were little and confused you with her mind games because that's the kind of bitch she is. And why would someone be tracking you for the last nineteen years of your life and someone that is two years younger than you know something that's a tiny detail in your past? Well that's because I can see things! Do you want to know your future?" I ranted.

"No its oka-"  
"You and that girl Mai? Yeah you guys meet up again and I think in your opinion you'll think she's really hot. She's also more emotionally distant, but hey so are you-wait did you say I could stop?" I asked. His mouth quirked up a bit.

"Yes, I believe you. I didn't mean to act so stupidly," he answered. He sat down on the floor Indian style and I slid down the wall to be level with him. "So you can see the future, and moments of my past."

"I see glimpses into the future, but I can see the past more clearly as it is set in stone," I clarified.

He nodded, "Can I ask you something?"

"I swear to god Zuko, if you ask me if you'll capture the avatar, I don't know."

"Are you lying?"

I shot up from the floor so fast, Zuko fell back, "What the hell? Are you fucking kidding me? I just told you one of my biggest secrets Zuko. I told you I didn't know and you think I'm lying to you about that? I see things but I'm on the same ride of destiny as the rest of you. And don't think for a _second_ that I have it easier than everyone else because I get it_ much_ worse than all of you!"

"Is it because of your past?" he interrupted. I was about to continue my rant but all the anger went away with that question. Sadness took its place but my face was as hard as stone as Zuko's and Jet's chests.

"Only half of it, the other is the idea that each moment I see is either good or bad and more on the bad side of things. I can get glimpses of pain and death and that frightens me because I only see the futures of the ones I am connected with. I could see your Uncle die at any moment with just one look in his eyes. So I get it worse because I will always be on the edge of my seat waiting impatiently but dreading for that moment to come," I explained softly. Before he could reply I ran off back to my room.

Iroh was waiting for me there with a cup of hot tea in his hands.

**_**  
**Hey guys! Sorry, I was just trying to get ahead of the story in my mind before i started writing it out and stuff. _Please_ review. As much as I love followers and favoriters, tell my your reactions to what i write. This is really, really important to get feedback from y'all. **

**eat some more of my people!**

**-Cookies**


	7. Iroh Gives Advice, Zuko and Jet

Chapter Seven: Iroh Gives Advice, Zuko and Jet Meet-Great, Another Gift Is Revealed, and Hope

The next two days were utterly confusing, perfect, and horrifying. First, Iroh gave me great advice. After my feels moment with Zuko, I went to my room and was greeted by the perfect smell of tea and the sight of Iroh. I immediately flopped down in the chairs and drank the tea like it was a shot of tequila. Oh tequila, I remember that. That _totally_ helped me forgetting everything. But I doubted they have tequila in this world. Dammit. "Uhhhhhh," I groaned, I felt drunk even if I was just drinking tea, I opened my eyes to look at Iroh, "I have to tell you something Iroh; I lied to you."

"Which time?" he asked, calm. That shocked me and I sat upright to look at him. A small, reassuring smile was formed by his lips.

"I don't think I can bend things, but I can see things like the future. And I don't have a boyfriend, but don't tell Zuko cuz I don't want a boyfriend. Wow, I feel drunk-and tired. Whatdya put in this?" I slurred.

"I saw how tired you were before we got on the boats and I just thought you'd like some sleepy time tea to calm your nerves. And I already know you can see things, and you already knew that I knew that," he told me. I nodded in response.

"Yeah!" my voice was high pitched and I still felt drunk. But you are in a kind of drunk like state when you're tired, "You're with that secret group with all those old guys that Aang and his friends are connected with. Oh shit! Don't tell anyone I know them Iroh! Zuko could get pissed!"

"Well you don't _know_ them, but you are connected with the avatar, am I right?"

"Yeah!" Yep, I was totally drunk. That could not have been tea, there must have been some alcohol or sedatives-but then again this is _sleepy time_ tea. "I think they're going to Ba Sing Se too and I just want to** meet **him. I mean I feel his emotions, hear his thoughts, and sees what he sees, I don't have much of the same effect on him, but I mean come on! I am here in this world just to help him and shit! Don't I deserve to at least meet him or will I be the hidden helper that no one knows about? And I'm sorry to say this but as soon as I get to the city, I want to just go, go, goooooooo and find him! Like leave immediately! But I haven't even adjusted to this world that much, I mean you guys don't even have TV, much less refrigerators! What do I dooooo IIIIIIIrrrroooohhhh?"

If I didn't know any better, I would say I was drugged or I was drinking, but then again I knew I hadn't drank since I was what? Fourteen? By then I had learned another form of release in-no, not this again Thea, you are **_done_** with that. You were diagnosed, remember-wait, am I still sick?

Iroh was watching me think when I shot up from the chair. "Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit, double motha fucking shit!"

"Sit down Thea, what's wrong?" Iroh soothed. I kept pacing and pacing before I sat down and allowed the sobs to control my body. With my face in my hands, Iroh came over to me and rubbed my back. "I think there is more to this story than you tell me. You don't have to tell me of the pain that I can see in those hazel eyes, but for now, I think you should stop and reflect on your life. Pick up the pieces of yourself before you go out and pick up the ones of others. You are free to stay with Zuko and I until you are ready to leave, but that is my advice to you. You have a home open to you with us, even if you don't trust us with your secrets, I already trust you with mine. You know there is a home open to you," he told me. He pulled me into a fatherly hug and I nodded into his chest, slowly drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

Second, Zuko and Jet met. It was awkward in my opinion because I was still thinking that Jet thought Zuko was somewhat attracted to little ol' me.

We were eating our horribly awful food by the side of the boat for lunch and Zuko was complaining as per usual. I didn't say a word because all though the food was awful to them and me, I hadn't really eaten any food in this world and found delight in the interesting dish. If I thought this was somewhat good, I couldn't wait to find out what the real good stuff tasted like. "Uh! I hate eating these raw scraps! This tastes awful," he complained as he pushed his dish aside.

"If you aren't going to eat it I will," Iroh said and dived for the bowl before I could do the same. I silently cursed myself as Zuko continued to whine.

"We weren't meant to be treated this way and fed small cold portions of food!"

"I agree," a voice I recognized spoke. I turned around from staring at the sea to see the first brick wall I had ran into yesterday. Jet came out of the shadows with a smirk on his face directed at me.

"Oh, it looks like we've met again. I totally _saw_ this coming," I told him with my own smile. He laughed at my joke before getting a good look at Iroh and Zuko. He looked at Zuko for a bit longer before turning his attention back to me and then the group.

"I hear the captain is eating like a king up there while us refugees have to scavenged on his scraps. We were planning on liberating some food for ourselves tonight, you want to join?" he asked Zuko. He thought about it before looking at me.

"What kind of king?" Iroh asked.

"The fat kind with all the food," and with just that statement, Iroh began to drool.

"I'm in," Zuko replied. I stared at him before looking back at Jet and then behind him at the shadows.

"And are those your fellow Freedom Fighters?" I asked. Jet nodded as two people stepped out of the shadows.

"Yeah, this is Smellerbee and Longshot," he introduced.

"This is Lee and Mushy and I'm Thea," I replied. Smellerbee nodded and Longshot gave a tip of his hat. They were the two from my vision of Jet's death.

"We'll go at night Jet, that way we'll have the darkness cover us," Smellerbee told us. Jet and Zuko nodded and Jet's friends went back to where they were. Iroh had left too to go get some more tea.

"Thea, can I talk to you?" Jet asked. I nodded enthusiastically and looked back at Zuko. His eyes were narrowing in on me and Jet.

"I'll see you later Lee," I told him and he nodded. Jet led me over to another part of the ship. We stood there quietly, really close to each other with Jet just staring at me. "So….."

Jet snapped out of his stares and his cheeks tinted, "So are you going too?"

"I was invited?" I gasped sarcastically with a hand against my heart. He laughed.

"Yes you were invited, but I wasn't sure if I wanted you to risk yourself," he told me.

"And you let Lee go willy nilly?" I asked, a bit angry.

"Well I kind of care for your wellbeing. So yes, I wasn't sure if wanted to ask you," he confessed. I smiled at him.

"As much as I want to go with you guys, I'm not sure if I would be much of any help," I told him.

"Can you fight?" he asked.

"Yeah but I'm not really that good," I reply, shuddering at the number of times I had tried to fight _him_ but unable to protect myself for long.

"Show me," he suggested. I shrugged and then swung a punch at him. He blocked it easily and threw one back at me and I somehow blocked it perfectly. And that's when I discovered my second gift from the spirits. I could now fight.

I threw punches at Jet and he threw them back, with me being able to defend myself very easily. Uppercut, right hook, left hook, repeat, and side kick times two before I swept his legs underneath him. But before he could fall, he ragged me down with him. Landing on top of him, my face was barely centimeters from touching his before my hands landed on either side of his head. I looked into those captivating eyes and down to his smile, the smirk he was giving me gave me butterflies. "I think you were lying," he told me, his breath fanning across my face.

"About what?" I hummed.

"I think you're a great fighter," he replied tilting his head up closer to me.

"I didn't think I had it in me," I whispered, my lips almost touching his but unable to even go closer. I haven't been attracted to a boy since I was thirteen, much less want to kiss one.

"Thea?" Iroh called, making me jump up and off of Jet. I ran from the laying boy and around the corner to the worried man.

"Yes Mushy?" I asked.

"Oh, there you are. Lee and I were looking for you. You've been gone for a while and Lee was worried you were in trouble, why is your hair so messy?" he questioned.

"I was…practicing with Jet," I replied.

"Practicing?"

"Yes, I was showing him how I fight so he could see I am a terrible person for this job," I explained.

"She's not that bad," Jet called. Iroh turned the corner to find Jet on the ground with not just his hair but his shirt messed up. And then I realized that if Iroh had caught me on top of him, I would be in a compromising position and it'd look like we were doing….things.

"Right, I'll just go tell Lee that I found you and that you are in safe arms-hands." I nodded and then Iroh left me with a grinning Jet. I went over to him and sat on his stomach. And we laughed.

That night, Iroh and I waited impatiently on deck for the others to return. I had decline Jet's offer of joining them tonight, so I paced next to a sitting Iroh. "Where are they? They should have been done by now."

"Sit down Thea, you are working yourself up over this. Sit down and have some tea with me," Iroh suggested.

"I don't want any tea!" I snapped before placing a hand over my mouth to look at the stunned man. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-it's just that-I was really worried-and-"

"We're back!" Jet called and I spun around to face them. I looked back at Iroh.

"I'm so, so, so sorry Iroh, I didn't mean to snap, I was just worried," I apologized. Iroh nodded and gave me a smile.

"I understand," Iroh replied. I nodded and turned around back to Jet. Zuko and the others were behind him and I crashed Jet into a bear hug.

"Oh my god you scared me!" I scolded as I hugged the other stunned male.

"Sorry? We just got sidetracked and ended up bringing more food," he explained. I shookmy head and let go before I moved to the others to give them a hug.

"You were really worried weren't you," Smellerbee observed. I let go of her and just shrugged.

"I don't really have that many to care for," I replied. Zuko's head snapped towards me and gave me this look that said, '_We need to talk'_. I just ignored him and grabbed a bowl of food for myself as the others passed some to the other people. When they were done, they sat down with Iroh and me and ate. The food was delicious but I didn't really care so much how it tasted, it tasted the same, I just cared that the temperature warmed my mouth.

"So Smellerbee, what an unusual name for a young boy," Iroh stated. I cringed an Smellerbee looked like she wanted to explode.

"Well maybe that's because I'm a girl!" she almost shouted before getting up and stalking away. Longshot followed her.

"Oh! Well that's a lovely name for a lovely girl!" Iroh called in embarrassment. Jet looked over at me with another one of his smiles.

"Can I talk with you?" he asked softly. I nod my head.

"You two seem to be doing a lot of talking," Zuko observed.

I shrugged, "Well I am in good company." I stand up and Jet leads me to the very front of the ship. The first rays of morning are beginning to shine and Jet's face is entirely lit up. He looks calm and peaceful.

"When this is over, I was wondering if you would like to join us. We could use someone like you," he told me. I give him a smile.

"And how would I be of use?" I inquired, inching closer to the edge of the boat next to him.

"Well you can fight and you can see the future, I think you'd be a great ally," there was a pause until he added, "Plus, you are_ very_ pretty." My cheeks began to heat. He turned to face me and I could see a warming look in those eyes.

And finally I felt hope. The feeling began to surge from my body, but not from me; from Aang. But just his hopefulness began to spark some in my own body, a feeling I hadn't felt in years. The lights dimmed and I saw me and Jet talking, drinking tea, and laughing. We were happy, we were friends. When the lights came back, I hadn't even realized Jet was getting closer to me. "I'm feeling hopeful," I told him as I look back into his eyes.

And then his lips pressed mine. They were soft and warm and they sent small tingles down my spine-but it didn't feel right. I pushed him away with my hands on his chest. He looked hurt but I wasn't harsh and rash at the gesture like I thought I would be. "I'm feeling hopeful in our friendship," I clarified. He nodded in understanding and I smiled at him.

"I understand," Jet said before pulling away and turning to leave, but I grab his hand. He looks back at me.

"We'll meet again Jet," I promised, "Maybe not as what you hoped, but friends. We'll be drinking tea and laughing." He nodded his head and left without another word. I stood there silently for a while until another spoke up.

"So what else did you lie about?" he asked. I didn't turn around and continued to stare at the water ahead of me.

"With my deepest regrets I must inform you that I don't have a boyfriend. I do have a group to go back to, but I just made up the boyfriend part."

"Because…" the hot head pressed. I turned around to face the scarred wonder.

"_Because_ I was picked up by two very strange men and I didn't want them getting any ideas," I explained. Zuko nodded.

"Makes sense, but if you were really telling the truth, then why don't you have that many to care for?"

Shit.

"Well the group I'm meeting doesn't know me specifically, I'm a distant relative in search of escape," I made up partially. They didn't know me, but I'm not relate to any of them. I'm connected with Aang, but I'm not related to him.

"Then how did you end up in the desert?" he questioned.

Double shit.

"I was wandering, looking for them, but again I was hit by a sandstorm. Are we done with the interrogation?" I asked. He nodded and I began to walk away.

"Just don't leave town," he called and I froze.

"Did serious pants make a joke?" I asked in disbelief.

"Never mind," he groaned in annoyance. I smiled and continued my way down to my cabin. When I got there, I immediately crashed onto the bed and fell asleep. That's when I learned why Aang was so hopeful. I smiled at the thought of the baby girl in the couple's arms.


	8. Cool Yo, We in Ba Sing Se Bro And We

Chapter Eight: Cool Yo, We in Ba Sing Se Bro And We Makin' Tea Iroh!

The boat was docking by the time I began awake. I was told I had an hour before I had to leave the ship. I had everything packed up in five minutes and began my venture out to find Zuko and Iroh. I was wearing my jeans again with my dark green tank and faded red jacket, along with my purple converse with my hair in braids. I guess there weren't that many-if any people that wore my kinds of clothing because when I got out of my room, many people stared at me, including Iroh and Zuko. "We seriously need to get you some clothes," Zuko told me.

"What? What's wrong with my clothes?"

"What the hell are those? Much less where did you get them?" I looked down at my clothes.

"Where I come from, this is how normal people dress," I defended.

"What are these?" he complained. He pulled at my bra strap and I immediately swatted his hand away.

"What do you think you're doing? Those are my bra straps!" I hissed.

"Again what the hell is a _bra_?" he asked.

"You know! The things that hold a girl's…..things to her chest," I explained, pointing at my chest. Zuko's cheeks immediately began to turn pink.

"You mean bindings?" he asked, averting his gaze from me and turning redder.

"If by bindings you mean bras than yes, bindings." Zuko nodded and turned back to a laughing Iroh.

"We should be able to leave the boat in a few minutes," he informed me. I nodded and stood there waiting to leave. I ended up fidgeting with my shirt and jacket.

"Thea! Lee! Mushy!" I familiar voice called. My head lifted up and I smiled at the sight of the straw chewing boy.

"Jet!" I welcomed. He got over to us and then gave me a hug, which I returned.

"It was nice meeting all of you," Jet said to us. We all nodded and then he turned to me, "I'll see you in the future?"

"Yes," I laughed. Jet smiled and gave me another hug and a kiss on my cheek before leaving us. Iroh and Zuko raised their brows at me when he left. I just shrugged.

"What? He's my friend," I defended. They instantly turned away when they realized I saw them.

It was ten minutes before we were let off the boat and twenty minutes after that before we were allowed to leave the docks and get into the city. And in that time, Iroh had almost blown our cover by reheating cold tea. Jet had also came back to say goodbye again and I had to literally push him to his group before he left, with me laughing the whole way. I don't think Zuko likes Jet that much because he keeps glaring at him-I think it's because that boy keeps coming over and 'swooning' over me as Zuko says. I just laugh at that because I know that me and Jet aren't in that kind of relationship and will never be like that.

"Stop your brooding Lee, let's go get some tea!" I said enthusiastically while I dragged both him and Iroh out. We walk-no I drag them down the streets of the gigantic city to locate the closest tea shop. Iroh is as excited as me, but he wants to take the time to see the city, "You'll have plenty of time to do that later, now it's time to get some tea!"

"What's with you and tea?" Zuko asked. I looked back at him and the lights began to dim. We were all in a tea shop and Zuko was complimenting Iroh on how good the tea is. The lights came back and smirked at him.

"You're the one to talk hot head," I replied. He looked at me.

"Why? What did you see? Oh spirits do I turn into Iroh?" he asks in disbelief. I shake my head in amusement.

"Not him specifically-" he scowls at me, "oh lighten up! I'm just messing with you, partly."

He scowls again and then I stop when I spot a shop. The lights begin to dim again-damn that's happening a lot here lately. I see me inside the tea shop serving tea with Zuko and Iroh to a busy shop. The lights return again and a large smile cannot be scraped off my face.

"Ah hah! I found it! This is the tea shop, I swear you're going to be coming here a lot," I cryptically state.

"Is the tea that amazing?" Iroh drools. I don't answer and instead drag the two men inside. The place is practically deserted and I seat us at one of the best tables. A waitress soon comes to our table and tells us the types of tea they have. Iroh and I collaborate on the teas we want to get and then share and Zuko just orders some green tea.

"I'll have the Jasmine Dragon Tea and she'll have the Lemon Jade Tea," he orders. For some reason we are so excited to drink this tea-I'm not excited for a lot of things, but tea seems to be one of my obsessions, I realized. I drank it all the time at home to calm my nerves and try to get away from _him _with the delicious drink. Sometimes it worked and other times it-no, stop. You are in a public space and you have no reason to cry right now, you are away from all that. Okay maybe not the cancer, but I'm not so sure about that one.

The lady comes back within moments and hands us our tea. It's cold and awful and both Iroh and I spit it out immediately. "Oh god that's awful!"

"It's not that bad," Zuko says as he drinks his own tea. Iroh takes Zuko's cup and drinks some of it before spitting it out again.

"You should be ashamed of yourself! This awful and I'm ashamed to even call you family if you can't tell the difference between good and bad tea!" Iroh said angrily, but not actually angry at Zuko. I took the cup from Iroh and tried a sip of the contents.

I choked before I let the contents go down my throat. It was cold and burnt and the spices were in all the wrong amounts. I gagged after swallowing the drink and stared at Zuko in horror. "No! No, no, no, no! This is awful, you can't drink this."

"I'd like to see the manager!" Iroh called out in the almost empty shop. An older man's head popped out from the kitchen to the commotion.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Did you make this tea?" Iroh asked, the man nodded. Iroh shook his head and approached him, "Let me show you how to make real tea because you were obviously taught wrong."

Iroh didn't even wait for him to respond at the offensive statement before he got into the kitchen and started up a pot of tea. Iroh gathered his own ingredients from around the room and ground the herbs together in a magnificent aroma. Zuko kept banging his head against the door frame in embarrassment of his eccentric uncle's actions and I explained what Iroh was doing and what the other man was doing wrong. "You see how he makes sure everything is completely powdered? You don't want there to be chunks of leaves or herbs in your tea, unless you are using tea bags, but that's a different story. And you see how he keeps the tea on low heat? That's to make sure it doesn't burn. Also….."

The man nodded at my explanations and watched as Iroh did his magic. He totally forgot about the fact that Iroh intruded into the kitchen and just flung his techniques on the man. When the pot of tea was completely brewed, Iroh gave the manager a cup of the tea. He took a sip of the tea and then another and then gulped the rest of it down. "That was delicious! You should work for me; I'll pay you good money to create more of this. And you two can work here too!" the man offered, really excited about the ideas that were popping in his head. Zuko groaned and Iroh and I looked at each other like we had just won the lottery.

"Yes!" I shouted.

"It would be an honor," Iroh bowed at the man. I followed his lead and Zuko reluctantly agreed.

"Can you start tomorrow?" the man asked and we nodded. Then we left the shop in search of our new apartment that we had gotten. Iroh and I kept gushing over our new jobs and Zuko looked like he was about to explode at our fist bumpings and our cries of excitement. Before we went to our apartment, Iroh suggested we go to the market to get some necessities such as spark rocks and some flowers.

"Why did you buy us a plant?" Zuko questioned.

"I thought it would be nice to make the house look better if someone brought home a _lady friend_," Iroh waggled his eyebrows at the prince before turning to me, "or a _gentleman_." I laughed at him.

"Iroh you don't have to worry about that. I doubt hot head over there could even get a lady friend," I laughed.

"And what about you? I bet you couldn't even get a guy!" Zuko shot back. I laughed again, making him angrier.

"Listen Zuko, I have no interest in looking for any boys 'to get' but believe me when I say I can 'get' someone even if I didn't try," I told him. Iroh was chuckling behind us.

"I seriously doubt that!" he replied. I looked up at him with my challenging eyes. I smirked again before turning around and walking down the road again, making sure I flaunt myself at all the male population. Zuko and Iroh just watched and stared in surprise as three, then five, and more men approached me and asking me if I could go out with them. I declined each and every one of the offers, but I made sure the prince could hear me do so, making his face turn red. Finally Zuko and Iroh pulled me to them and down the street.

"Told you so," I taunted.

"Shut up!" Zuko snapped, making me smirk even larger and Iroh chuckle. Finally we got to the apartment and walked inside. It wasn't small, but it wasn't spacious either. There were seven rooms total. A main room, kitchen, three bedrooms, and two small bathrooms. Iroh immediately claimed the smallest of the three rooms and locked the door behind him. I turned to Zuko, he looked back at me.

"First one there gets the bigger room?" I proposed. He nodded and before he could respond, I sprinted to the room.

"Hey!" he shouted after me, running behind me. He sped up in front of me-more than I liked to admit, and I grabbed onto his shirt, pulling him back. When I began to push him into the wall, he pulled me with him and we fell to the ground, with my back pressed to him. I tried to scramble off of him, but he held me there. And then the lights faded.

I was in the large room and lips were kissing my neck from behind me, making me moan. It felt unreal and new to me, the way those lips moved against my neck was new and arousing.

The lights came back and I shuddered. Before I knew what I was doing, I elbowed Zuko in the stomach and fled to the room. I locked the door behind me and fell the ground. That vision was…scary in my opinion. I had never felt anything like that before and it worried me. Who was I being intimate with? And when the hell did I even start having sexual visions? I shuddered. There was knock on my door. "Thea?" I froze. "Are you okay, you stopped for a moment before you totally freaked out. Did I do something wrong? We were just fooling around." Oh god that last statement made me blush. That phrase, so many kids in my world would use that to describe sex-oh god there is too many sexual thoughts on my mind right now.

"Umm yeah," I said embarrassed. "It's just the position we were in and….." Zuko's head banged against the door, making me laugh a little.

"Agni I'm such in idiot kai! I didn't mean to-I mean it was just-and you were and-" he sounded flustered, making me laugh.

"Yeah and I had this vision and well it was…."

"What was it about?" Heat was rising to my cheeks, heat was rising everywhere in embarrassment.

"It was very…intimate," I explained. Another head bang resounded in the apartment,

"Oh…..I didn't mean to….sorry?" he suggested.

"This is awkward," I stated.

He coughed, "Well were you…in it?" I coughed too in surprise at the question.

"Yeah."

"And was I-"

"Oh my god Zuko! I don't know who it was!"

"Sorry, I was just wondering because you had this vision while _we _were like that and I thought that eye contact caused those visions and I wasn't sure if touch did it too. And I was just wondering because that would be very important to know if you and I were in_ that_ kind of relationship which would be really awkward to know now because we aren't even really friends. And if it was someone else that would be great because as fun as you are, I'm kind of already with someone," he rambled on and on. I was laughing by now at how embarrassed he was with the vision as I was.

"Zuko, I really don't know who was in that vision, I don't even know how old I was in that vision," I replied.

"Umm okay," his voice was high pitched before he coughed and repeated his statement in a lower voice, making me laugh. And the lights dim again.

And god dammit it was another intimate scene. What was I watching? Porn?

I saw me against the wall of my room being pinned by a guy with dark hair. I could only see his backside and I knew just from that that we were doing something. He was shirtless and my own clothes were lying on the ground. The guy was kissing my neck and I was moaning and holding onto him as his hands roamed my skin. A low groan could be heard from him when I began to jerk my hips against him.

The lights came back on and I could feel tingles on my neck and body from where I assumed the guy was touching me. "Thea?" Zuko called. I shuddered. "Did you have another-"

"Stop talking," I ordered. He took that as my answer to his question. After I had calmed down, I got up and opened the door to reveal a waiting Zuko.

"You okay?" he asked timidly. I nodded and ushered him into my room. He sat on my bed as I leaned against the wall-the one directly across from the one me and mysterious guy were getting hot and heavy.

"Fine," I answered.

"What happened?" he asked.

"It looks like I'm really going to be getting it on around here," I joked. He looked at me sternly. I pointed at the wall, "Especially over there." He stared at the wall, trying to guess what happened.

"What could possibly happen against a wall?" he asked in confusion. I laughed at him.

"Are you serious? People use the wall all the time for…their time together. You do realize people have sex against a wall right?" I asked. This conversation and personal level with Zuko immediately crossed boundaries. His cheeks were red just from the first statement.

"It's not really something a lot of people do," he stated.

"What? Sex or sex against a wall?"

"Both."

"Maybe it's just you," I guessed. His cheeks turned even redder. I had him trapped. If he denied it, he would be calling himself a man whore. If he agreed to it, he would admit to being either a. a virgin or b. a sexually deprived teenager. I had him trapped.

"So you've had sex before," he went with option c. redirecting the conversation.

"Something like that," I stated evenly, not willing to show him in my voice how painful this conversation really was.

"And where you're from, sex is common against a wall?" I snorted.

"Where I'm from, someone will do you anywhere."

"Anywhere?" he almost whispered in disbelief.

"Yeah, we aren't always civil enough to get ourselves into a bed. You could be doing it in a car, bathroom, bed, wall, and many other places."

"Car?"

"Don't worry about it."

"And you've done it in all those places?" he asked and I snorted again as I shook my head.

"Only sluts would have done it in all those places at our age."

"Sluts?"

"Yes, sluts. You know people who will go and have sex with anyone anywhere because they just want to have sex all the time?"

"Oh," the prince replied quietly. I was confused; did the prince really not know something like sex? Or was the culture just not like that?

"How does everyone here do it then?"

"Well we aren't all sex driven but when you are…hormonal, you tend to be 'civil' enough to get to a bed first hand."

"And is this a common occurrence or a special occasion?" I asked. This conversation was getting more and more personal, but it was also very well informative.

"Special occasions, not a lot of people have those kinds of thoughts daily unless they're perverts," he explained.

"And you?" I just crossed _the_ line.

"And me what?"

"Do you have those kinds of thoughts often? You know, the naughty kind," I teased and he paled at my implication.

"N-no," he stuttered. "D-do you?"

"No, I'm not really that sexual."

"Could've fooled me," he muttered to himself. I raised a brow.

"And how's that?"

"Well you certainly got Jet following you around like you're a goddess and the way you got all those guys to crowd you today, I'd say you enjoyed that."

"I enjoyed proving you wrong. Getting rises out of you is now amusing. Proving you wrong is icing on a cake. And Jet and I are just friends."

"Just friends my ass." I scowled.

"We are! He kissed me and it didn't feel right so we agreed on just friends!" I told him and he frowned.

"He kissed you? When?"

"Oh my god Lee it was just a kiss," it really wasn't in my opinion. It was my first kiss actually, "Nothing more, nothing less."

"By the way you're talking, it sounds like you're a slut," he stated. I scowled at him.

"How the hell do I sound like a slut?"

"It sounds like you've kiss a lot of guys, among other things."

"Well maybe I was just guessing because I had never been kissed before!" I shouted.

"That doesn't even make sense! You just told me you had sex and yet you haven't been kissed before that, how is that even-oh." Realization dawned him for the hidden secrets that were laced in my words. His face darkened at the assumption that was probably correct. His darkening eyes bore into mine, but I refused to look at him.

"Get out please," I say quietly. He doesn't even object as he leaves my room and I lock the door behind him and go to sleep early.

He doesn't even come to talk about it the next day.

And quite frankly, I'm glad about it. Lee, the prince, and Zuko don't need to know my secrets-especially ones of my past and my purpose in this world.

**So how was your Thanksgiving a few days ago? Good? Good? Eat some cookies? Some pie?-I like pie. **

**Anyways, I've decided to do a whole schedule thing if you haven't noticed to upload a chapter each week. School's really busy and stuff, but I hope you enjoy my efforts. Also! Did you know that the ratio of followers/favoriters to reviews is leaning towards the F/Fs? Yeah, as much as i like that, I still would like an actual review guys. And I know one of you (-sorry, your name deludes me at the moment!) P. me, but still... Okay well this is bye for the week, unless something awesome happens and i upload sooner! **

**~Cookies!**

**P.S.-Do you guys like Harry Potter Fanfictions? I'm thinking of writing one...O.o**


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